DECISION 2012: Favors wins Dem House District 28 race

HAMILTON COUNTY, TN. (WRCB) -- State Representatives Tommie Brown and JoAnne Favors have more than 25 years of combined experience on the House floor, but in January only one of them is going back to

Thursday, August 2nd 2012, 11:53 PM EDT

Updated:

Friday, August 3rd 2012, 8:49 AM EDT

HAMILTON COUNTY, TN. (WRCB) -- State Representatives Tommie Brown and JoAnne Favors have more than 25 years of combined experience on the House floor, but in January only one of them is going back to the capitol.

Favors won Thursday's primary election with overwhelming support. Nearly 2,500 votes separated her from Brown. "I'm very appreciative to all of the voters who saw that I would be their best candidate. I'm just overwhelmed by this outpouring of support," Favors says.

The two incumbents faced off after redistricting laws merged their two districts earlier this year. Favors won 72 percent of the vote but democrats say this is a loss for the entire party and this was a very calculated position.

"One that doesn't garner the benefit for all people. It does garner the benefit for certain people which is not the creed of the United States," says Rev. Kenneth Love, executive director of the Hamilton County Democratic Party.

Brown served on the house floor since the early 90's. "I thought I brought to the experience a whole new level of functioning, a new way of approaching minority communities," Brown says.